Your allergies aren’t my problem.

I got a phone call from another bar owner the other day that went a little something like this, “hey, I just want to give you a heads up, a buddy of mine tried to go Wolff’s the other night, but he’s allergic to peanuts and he had to leave because of all the peanuts on the floor”.

My friend the bar owner is one of the sweetest guys I know, and he is only looking out for my best interest. Totally. But I wanted to be like, “yeah?… and…..?”. I mean, (1) your buddie’s allergic to peanuts. (2) We serve tons of peanuts. (1+2 = Wolff’s probably isn’t the bar for him.

And this isn’t the first time I’ve heard comments about people with peanut allergies being upset that we have peanuts on the tables. Am I supposed to get rid of all the peanuts so that .04 percent of the population can come to Wolff’s? It’s an honest question. I mean, are we? Because I like the peanuts down there. I LOVE the peanuts down there. And I’m certainly not trying to exclude anyone from eating and drinking at Wolff’s, but, you know, your allergies really aren’t my problem. If I was allergic to shellfish, you probably wouldn’t see me standing in line to eat at Shelly’s Clam Shack.

… and also, all you people who say you’re “allergic to lettuce” just because you don’t want lettuce in your tacos? I ain’t buying it. I’m pretty sure lettuce is, like, 99% water. Am I right, John Curtain? (the smartest guy I know).

79 Responses

#24 – yeah, definitely my first time at a bar where you’re allowed to throw trash on the floor without getting kicked out. 😉 I’ve just never run into that situation and was sort of skeeved out by the potential for bugs.

Im glad # 6 wont be there he sucks at life. # 7 hahaha so do you, your not in germany your at a great place in albany. Why do we have to be so sensative about all these people’s wants and needs? If you dont like it, dont go, more for the ones of us who do.

@31: The first time I saw this was at The Chatham Squire on Cape Cod… since I wasn’t used to it, I piled up my peanuts on a napkin on the table… but once the waitress came over, she insisted I just push the pile over onto the ground, haha. So it’s definitely a common thing. Probably makes it easier to clean up at night, instead of having to constantly clean off tables.

I wouldn’t think it would attract bugs, though. The worst that could probably happen is if someone slips on a pile of them if the floor is too smooth.

First let me just say that I am 100% in agreement with Matt. People that have allergies need to be aware of where they can and cannot go (if you’re allergic to dogs, don’t expect your friends to get rid of their dog so that you can go to their house) or what they can and can’t eat.

I would just like to clarify for a previous poster (#10 – Jen), though, that some people’s peanut allergies are so severe that to just be in the same room with the nuts or shells will cause an anaphylacitic (sp?) reaction. The same goes for shell fish and other food allergens. It’s more the exception, rather than the rule, but it can happen.

Well, as one of the .04% – 1% who are allergic to peanuts, I’m not offended in the least.. a little disappointed that I can’t share the joy because I do love myself some good nuts (ha)!

This allergy is about two years old for me so I am fully aware of what I’m missing out on.

Epi-pen in bag, I will still come and check out the bar. The only way I’ll get an attack is if I consume them myself or someone is to actually rub peanuts on my bare skin. And if that happens, I promise not to sue you! Seriously though, the peanut dust is actually what causes most reactions.

Of course, there are different levels of these allergies but I’m not one to live in a bubble like that. It’s like saying that because I have a cat allergy, I wouldn’t date or go to someone’s house that has one. That’s just crazy!

Don’t want you think we’re all cry babies around here! On the bright side, thankfully I’m not allergic to beer!

No lettuce in a taco is weird but how does it hurt you? It just means that much less lettuce you have to use on the day. I could see if they then complained their taco wasn’t big enough but what’s the problem if they just don’t want lettuce?

Waaaaaa!!! I find people with sickly allergies annoying. I was raised on campbells pork and beans and day old white bread and have built resistance to allergies – I have hair on my chest and love peanutty floors.

Don’t you dare put a sign on the door saying you serve peanuts…tough luck if people show up and see that you serve nuts. They will have to get over it now, won’t they. They can stay or they can go, it’s that bloody simple!!

I’m so sick of everyone having some kind of bitch about something to the restaurant and the owners. Going out is supposed to be FUN! Get it, fun! If you want to complain, stay home and crab at your spouse, kick the cat, punch the wall, whatever………but for God sake stop your crabbing!!

I think this issue brings up more than just whether a person who owns a business can serve peanuts, but also other issues that the government is clamping down on us, real people.

Albany County has banned trans fats. NY has banned smoking in bars. They lowered the BAC for DWI. When the seatbelt law was signed, we were told cops would not stop people for this, only get a ticket if they were doing something else, now it’s click it or ticket.

We live in a “nanny society” and the government is telling us what is right and what is wrong. Don’t be surprised if the city or county of
Albany bans your right to serve peanuts.

I am for freedom of choice and not having the government clamp down on what is just normal life.

I think that many of you are missing the point that peanut allergies are deadly. It can not be compared to going into a vegetarian restaurant and asking for steak. I agree that adults should be responsible for their allergy and if a bar is known for peanuts, then do not go there. For the teacher that believes that children with peanut allergies should not be in public schools, Are you kidding me? Do you want to shelter them so you can have PBJ. Children, especially elementary, can not be responsible for themselves or their or their allergy. If they could, parents would not be spending thousands of dollars on childcare.

14: Hi Jess! To be fair those of us with a gluten intolerance have to ingest the crazy grains to feel the effect, and even then death isn’t the first side effect we’re dealing with. We can still make it work pretty much anywhere, especially when the staff is as accommodating as the Wolff’s kitchen.
That being said, you’re not gonna find me at bountiful bread. Despite their delicious salads I feel like eating there is tempting fate into punching me in the small intestine, much the same as someone with peanut allergy should just avoid the Biergarten, and probably Five Guys.

My husband told me about your website as we frequent the Biergarten often and always enjoy ourselves. When I saw this post I actually laughed and smiled as you have such a great point. One of my husband’s best friends is highly allergic to peanuts (he needs an epi-pen if ingested), but somehow managed to make it through four hours at the Biergarten. How is that? Because he didn’t eat any of them….duh? People need to realize that those of us that have different allergies are not unreasonable to the point of asking others, for example, not to mow their lawns or landscape their houses. If something makes you sick/uncomfortable, stay away from it, go drink your fill at some other bar. Also, don’t complain about the peanuts on the floor being slippery, mainly because it’s a bar, not a dance club…keep your high heals at home. Great job Matt! Keep ’em comin’!

I can understand your arguement, however thinking about this from a marketing perspective…..you’re limiting your restaurant to those who aren’t allergic to peanuts. And…the proper percentage of people with a peanut allergy is closer to about 1 in 6 people. So not only are those people not going, but when those people are out with a crowd and determining where to go….that crowd will automatically factor out your bar. Not a very wise marketing strategy. As for the comment about Five Guys….if you had a following as big as Five Guys, I’d say don’t worry about it. But for a new restaurant/bar trying to build a following….you may want to be careful with the “I don’t care about potential customers” attitude.

I do not think you should stop serving peanuts. I have a shellfish allergy, which only came about 2 years ago- after years of eating it! I now simply avoid Seafood Rest’s and I always make it a point to tell the server before hand that I have a shellfish allergy incase something is cooked in a shellfish sauce that isn’t labeled. It is MY responsibility to take the proper precautions to protect my allergy and I always bring an epi-pen in case I eat/touch seafood by mistake. I say keep the peanuts!….and maybe put a sign on the door that says “warning Peanuts, please bring your epi-pen if necessary.” haha

More importantly, Joie (@52), your statistic is way off. The number of adults with peanut allergies is tiny. According to “The Peanut Allergy Answer Book” by Boston allergist Dr. Michael Young, who is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, the number of children with peanut allergies is 1.2 percent of the population, and 20 percent of kids outgrow their peanut allergies, leaving us a nice round number of 1 percent of adults who are allergic to peanuts. (A New England Journal of Medicine estimate put it even lower, at 0.4 percent to 0.7 percent.) That’s miles from the 17 percent Joie claimed (“1 in 6″).

In the face of those accurate, source-identified numbers, your marketing argument falls apart. Let’s put the city of Albany’s population at 90,000 (setting aside that Wolff’s patrons come fom elsewhere, too). You’re arguing that Wolff’s should stop serving peanuts, which 89,00 people who live nearby can enjoy, on the off chance he might alienate some of the 900 people who are genuinely allergic? Anyway, as commenters above have attested, those with peanut allergies have indeed gone to Wolff’s without incident, and those whose allergies are so severe that they cannot even be around peanuts presumably would know enough to stay away.

As a long time sufferer from shellfish allergies, I know first hand what a pain it can be. However I would not expect any business to change their identity to accomidate my situation. How do I deal with this? I try not to expose myself to shellfish, and when there is a time when shellfish is unavoidable I take the proper steps to minimize a reaction. Sure it sucks not to be able hit up the Chinese buffet every now and then, but that is my life. So I have two suggestions,
1. For those with peanut allergies who have responded to this blog, stop whining and be vigilant, there are plenty of other places downtown let alone the entire Capital Region that would love your business.

2. Matt please do not add a shellfish dish on Wolff’s menu as I try to make it down there as often as possible.

One of my kids has a peanut allergy so we don’t patronize either Wolff’s or 5 Guys. No biggie. We have choices, so I completely agree with you. I actually feel the exact same way about “No Smoking” laws, trans-fat laws, etc., as well. Restaurant owners have the right to provide (or not provide) whatever they choose. The onus is completely on the consumer to make an informed choice.

I think the only areas where I do disagree with some of the comments here, including Steve’s, are:

First, and this is more precautionary, the comments about people with nut allergies who can go and just not eat the peanuts or lick the shoes are anecdotal. There are people who can do that, but there are also people who have severe allergies. Inhaled peanut dust can be lethal to some people, so people with nut allergies should be very careful. If it were me, I would not risk going there at all; the beer might be food, the food might be good, the soccer is certainly great, but none of that is worth death (IMO). The peanut dust thing, despite what I said about it being the consumer’s problem, is why I still think it is unconscionable that airlines, with their closed circulations and trapped passengers, still serve peanuts. It may only be 1.2 passengers in a hundred (and I think that’s a dynamic number that is increasing yearly) but it’s still an unnecessary risk.

Second, I think that choosing to go or not go to a restaurant is different than from serving PB&J at a compulsory public school. Still, our experience is more that parents who bring in goodies for the entire class are made aware of bringing in nut-laden food. Again, more for the risk/benefits aspect than trying to impinge upon anyone else’s right to eat what they want.

Matt – I have been a fan and a regular customer of yours since you first opened Bombers on Lark Street many years ago. My 13 year old son is allergic to peanuts (and he is also allergic to lettuce, among many many other things). He carries an epi-pen at all times and reads all food labels before he ingests anything. Despite his and our vigilance in keeping him alive and healthy, there have been many incidents where he has had life-threatening allergic reactions due to cross-contamination of food products. Either wait staff had incorrectly identified food ingredients or cross-contamination had happened at some point before the food was served.

I certainly don’t expect you to change your restaurant’s “peanuts on the floor” atmosphere. However, the callousness and uncaring attitude towards food-allergic people upsets me. I believe my son’s life is important and he has a right to know about the ingredients he puts into his body. If your establishments’ attitude are “allergies really aren’t my problem” I would disagree. Food allergies ARE your problem since you should be educating staff and preventing cross-contamination in your commercial kitchens. As such, I am saddened to tell you that I cannot in good conscious support any of your establishments and will be sure to tell that to all my friends and other parents of food-allergic children.

I can’t remember any kid in elementary school having a peanut allergy. In fact, I’ve never met anyone with a peanut allergy. WTF did this come from? Is the human race slowly becoming susceptible to biological warfare via the peanut? Will historians 300 years from now look back on this era and wonder “woa! These people actually ATE peanuts!!!!” I’m a little worried about the future of a race when things like peanuts signal our potential demise.